Comments on: The Long Road To Ruin http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/ David Gillespie and the wide open spaces of the w-w-w. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:08:36 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Bluefreeway; Indigo Hindsight « Wide Open Spaces http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-196 Bluefreeway; Indigo Hindsight « Wide Open Spaces Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:31:09 +0000 http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-196 [...] market? Somewhere in here there is an incredible story to be told. I’m willing to bet it has a bit to do with each of these [...] [...] market? Somewhere in here there is an incredible story to be told. I’m willing to bet it has a bit to do with each of these [...]

]]> By: Twitter, its users, and the notion of “free” « Wide Open Spaces http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-151 Twitter, its users, and the notion of “free” « Wide Open Spaces Sat, 09 Feb 2008 22:56:24 +0000 http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-151 [...] put the events around Twitter into context, let me explain the perspective I have on it. I used to make video games for a living, a job I enjoyed for the most part. Some of the best times we ever had were when we saw people do [...] [...] put the events around Twitter into context, let me explain the perspective I have on it. I used to make video games for a living, a job I enjoyed for the most part. Some of the best times we ever had were when we saw people do [...]

]]> By: David Gillespie http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-44 David Gillespie Tue, 18 Dec 2007 03:52:42 +0000 http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-44 Wow, that's pretty incredible! You would assume most people would be savvy enough to have a smooth process to deal with user complaints. People invariably aren't willing to jump through hoops for you when they've parted with dollars; I think the general feeling is "I bought the hoop, you jump." Your last line says it all Loucidity, the best of intentions don't ultimately count for much in the long run. Wow, that’s pretty incredible! You would assume most people would be savvy enough to have a smooth process to deal with user complaints. People invariably aren’t willing to jump through hoops for you when they’ve parted with dollars; I think the general feeling is “I bought the hoop, you jump.” Your last line says it all Loucidity, the best of intentions don’t ultimately count for much in the long run.

]]> By: Loucidity http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-42 Loucidity Tue, 18 Dec 2007 02:40:10 +0000 http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-42 Problems may not have just been the game itself. I bought a copy, took forever to get it to install, patching process, constantly nagged me that it couldn't run at other than lowest resolution every time I tried to kick it in. (Okay, I get it, I'm cheap, I don't have the greatest card in the world, stop rubbing my face in it.). Never did get to the point of actually playing the game. When I went to their support channels the process was extremely cumbersome. Messages coming from their support staff were "just reply"... unfortunately the from address was do_not_reply@auran.com. Finally found an old message with their web site on it, got into the web site, let them know that they had issues. Response was "well you managed to get to us (support) didn't you...", plus a list of noxious commands and directory searches I was going to have to conduct in their behalf and zip up and send in. No indication that anyone acknowledged that there was an issue in their process. Needless to say, never got to play the game, de-installed it, and took the loss. Programmers may have been great, concept could have even been fantastic, but if the customer is left in the lurch it isn't going to fly. Problems may not have just been the game itself. I bought a copy, took forever to get it to install, patching process, constantly nagged me that it couldn’t run at other than lowest resolution every time I tried to kick it in.

(Okay, I get it, I’m cheap, I don’t have the greatest card in the world, stop rubbing my face in it.).

Never did get to the point of actually playing the game. When I went to their support channels the process was extremely cumbersome. Messages coming from their support staff were “just reply”… unfortunately the from address was do_not_reply@auran.com. Finally found an old message with their web site on it, got into the web site, let them know that they had issues.

Response was “well you managed to get to us (support) didn’t you…”, plus a list of noxious commands and directory searches I was going to have to conduct in their behalf and zip up and send in. No indication that anyone acknowledged that there was an issue in their process.

Needless to say, never got to play the game, de-installed it, and took the loss.

Programmers may have been great, concept could have even been fantastic, but if the customer is left in the lurch it isn’t going to fly.

]]> By: unborracho http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-41 unborracho Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:29:46 +0000 http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-41 The only experience I ever had with Fury was at Penny Arcade Expo - they were handing out pressed CDs with a beta version of the game. That right there left an initial sour taste in my mouth, because you couldn't play it until like a week after PAX was over. Even after that, I couldn't get an account registered due to problems with the beta server being down or something like that. The only experience that I have with beta testing is blizzard (World of Warcraft open beta and Diablo II stress test) and SOE games (Planetside) and all of those experiences were fantastic - fun games to play (albeit I found a few exploits and occassionally the servers would come down more often than I liked) but none were as frustrating as attempting to setup my Fury beta account and not even getting to play a moment of the game. I was pretty much instantly turned off and didn't even bother to give it a second chance. I understand a company comes to a point where they need capitol to continue development and making payroll at the end of the day, but releasing beta (and even live production) software will end up hurting your long term result. I know nothing about Fury's gameplay issues (having not played a lick of it) but combining those on top of frustrating experiences = fail and probably attributed a great deal to the overall success of the game. (or in this case, lack thereof) The only experience I ever had with Fury was at Penny Arcade Expo – they were handing out pressed CDs with a beta version of the game. That right there left an initial sour taste in my mouth, because you couldn’t play it until like a week after PAX was over. Even after that, I couldn’t get an account registered due to problems with the beta server being down or something like that.

The only experience that I have with beta testing is blizzard (World of Warcraft open beta and Diablo II stress test) and SOE games (Planetside) and all of those experiences were fantastic – fun games to play (albeit I found a few exploits and occassionally the servers would come down more often than I liked) but none were as frustrating as attempting to setup my Fury beta account and not even getting to play a moment of the game. I was pretty much instantly turned off and didn’t even bother to give it a second chance.

I understand a company comes to a point where they need capitol to continue development and making payroll at the end of the day, but releasing beta (and even live production) software will end up hurting your long term result.

I know nothing about Fury’s gameplay issues (having not played a lick of it) but combining those on top of frustrating experiences = fail and probably attributed a great deal to the overall success of the game. (or in this case, lack thereof)

]]> By: Loading… » Blog Archive » MMOG Carols http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-40 Loading… » Blog Archive » MMOG Carols Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:54:03 +0000 http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-40 [...] house that built Fury had dismantled their team. David Gillespie, former Fury Producer has posted his take on the recent demise of the company. My question is, has GameCock actually published a successful [...] [...] house that built Fury had dismantled their team. David Gillespie, former Fury Producer has posted his take on the recent demise of the company. My question is, has GameCock actually published a successful [...]

]]> By: Bloody http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-35 Bloody Mon, 17 Dec 2007 06:06:42 +0000 http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-35 Here's something you have to realize. You reached for the stars and it fell short. But the fact is you reached and you dreamed. Whatever you did, I loved the game you took a part in, you can always live with knowing you tried your best and this experience will make your life a richer reward and you will go further and farther in your goals due to this learning experience. It's nice to know Auran had such a nice people. Stay strong and live your dream! Here’s something you have to realize. You reached for the stars and it fell short. But the fact is you reached and you dreamed. Whatever you did, I loved the game you took a part in, you can always live with knowing you tried your best and this experience will make your life a richer reward and you will go further and farther in your goals due to this learning experience. It’s nice to know Auran had such a nice people. Stay strong and live your dream!

]]> By: The Realist http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-33 The Realist Mon, 17 Dec 2007 01:03:09 +0000 http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-33 And another game carcass falls to the ground to be pickup by Sony and shoved into their Station Exchange. Lets fact it, Sony lives for this sort of thing. The moral of the story... If you want to make an MMO these days, got for a "me too" WOW clone or move to the US, Australia is a technological backwater... and I an't just talking about the crappy broadband! And another game carcass falls to the ground to be pickup by Sony and shoved into their Station Exchange. Lets fact it, Sony lives for this sort of thing.

The moral of the story… If you want to make an MMO these days, got for a “me too” WOW clone or move to the US, Australia is a technological backwater… and I an’t just talking about the crappy broadband!

]]> By: J. http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-31 J. Fri, 14 Dec 2007 20:29:36 +0000 http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-31 And this is what happens when a good game company throws their whole weight behind a MMO. They can well be the road to ruin. And this is what happens when a good game company throws their whole weight behind a MMO. They can well be the road to ruin.

]]> By: izzy99 http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-30 izzy99 Fri, 14 Dec 2007 20:26:48 +0000 http://splashjumanji.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-long-road-to-ruin/#comment-30 Bet you did not know you were merely an Illuminati pawn in their insane plot to destroy humanity, eh. (re: johnnypeepers comment) I would rather see kids spending hours playing video games rather than sampling drugs as an antidote to the troubling aspects of life. Recreation and games are the best part of life, methinks. I am always amazed by the tech knowledge that makes online games (and the offline video ones also) possible. It is sad that games do not take priority over wars. Bet you did not know you were merely an Illuminati pawn in their insane plot to destroy humanity, eh. (re: johnnypeepers comment) I would rather see kids spending hours playing video games rather than sampling drugs as an antidote to the troubling aspects of life.

Recreation and games are the best part of life, methinks. I am always amazed by the tech knowledge that makes online games (and the offline video ones also) possible. It is sad that games do not take priority over wars.

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